Hand-bag.



G. W. PAULI.

HAND BAG.

APPLIOATION FILED 001.15, 1908.

1,111,091. Patent msept. 22,1911

THE NORRIS PETERS 50., FHOTO'LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D C,

GEORGE W. PAULI, F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAND-BAG.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PAULI, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hand-Bags,

of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to hand bags, havmg particular reference to thetype of bag known as wrist bags, and has for its object to furnish asufliciently capacious article of this character which may be foldedinto a small compass when empty.

A further object is to provide such a bag with a device capable of beingfolded with the bag and of holding the bottom thereof extended in a flatcondition when opened to its fullest capacity, such device being alsoadapted to prevent the central part of the bag bottom from bulgingdownward.

Still another object is to enable the lower portion ofthe bag to bedoubled and retained in that condition when empty so as to diminish theapparent depth of the bag and make the same more convenient to carry.

Of the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of abag embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 represents an endelevation of the same when opened and distended to its fullest capacity.Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the bottom of showing the relationof the distending and stiffening device. Fig. 4 represents an endelevation of the bag when folded into its thinnest compass. Fig. 5represents a simi lar view, showing the bag further folded to diminishits apparent depth. Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of a stiffeningframe adapted to be used with the bag for the bag distended,

holding the bottom in an extended flat condition. Fig. 7 represents adetail view of a portion of this frame, illustrating the hinge and thestop by which the frame is prevented from being folded or doubled exceptin one direction.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the bag or bag material as awhole is repre-.

sented by a and consists of the sides a, bottom a and ends a thesemembers being united together in any convenient manner so as to form acomplete bag. The upper edges of the bag material are united to theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 15, 1908.

out. flat when the. same Patented Sept. 22, 1914. Serial No. 457,811. 1

usual hinged clasp frame consisting of the members 6 and b pivotedtogether at b and having hooks b and a catch 6 of any usual or approvedform and construction.

The ends of the bag material are creased on the lines 0 0 0 0 and 0 andthe bottom is creased longitudinally at its center so as to enable bothends and bottom to be folded inwardly to permit the flat sides a to bebrought together in substantial parallelism when the bag is closed, asrepresented in Fig. 4:. The bag is capable of being still further foldedbetween its top and bottom on a longitudinal line, represented at d inFig. 1, this fold being located so that the bottom of the bag is broughtupward when folded beneath a flap c. On this flap are fastening devicesf which cooperate with complemental fastening devices 9 on the side ofthe bag which, when the latter is extended, is opposite to the flap. Asmay be seen from Figs. 4 and 5, these fastening devices are brought intocooperation when the bag is doubled about the fold (Z. Anyappropriateand convenient form of fastening device may be used, thathere shown consisting of plug and socket members, the fastener f havingabulging projection 7" adapted to enter a socket in the correspond ingmember 9.

In order to hold the bottom a of the bag is distended to its fullestcapacity, I provide an expander or distender 71,. This expander ispreferably made of stout wire having sufficient rigidity for the desiredpurpose, formed into a rectangular frame consistingof two parts heldtogether bya rod or pintle 72., although in lieu of this construction itis permissible to make the distender of two flat leaves hinged together.The distender has two outer side elements If and 72/ which swingpivotally about the pivot member 7a. and lie within the edge folds k and7c of the bag. When the bag bottom and distender are spread out, theyare of approximately equal area and the elements If 77. hold the bottomedges of the bag apart and stretch the bottom a into an approximatelyfiat condition. This distender holds the bottom of the bag expanded toits fullest extent while articles are being placed in it, and it is alsoconstructed so as to prevent the bottom of the bag from bulging downwardunder the weight of the contents, and allowing the sides to press upon Yof wire, as illustrated herein, the elements tended bottom of the bag.

of the bag by keeping the bottom edges straight and preventing the sidesfrom being bent inward.

When the distending device is constructed ]L2 and it are provided withend members which are bent at right angles, and the ends of which arewrapped about the pintle h. i

The ends if of one of the members are carried beyond the pintle and bentacross the end portions of the other member its, as shown in Figs. 6 and7. These bent or hooked ends it" lie above the member it so as toprevent the pivot rod and center of the frame being depressed below theplane of their outer elements. This form of stop enables the frame to bebent upward and the pivot rod to be carried up with the central fold ofthe bag bottom when the latter is folded, but prevents any furthermovement of the center of the frame after the same has been brought intothe plane of the ex- By'means of these stops, the weight of the contentsof the bag is supported and is prevented from causing the bag to bulgeat its bottom, as previously stated.

The distending device is placed within the bag and is attached to thebottom thereof by any convenient and suitable means, as by loops of thebag material or by being sewed in place. The hinged rodh lies along andabove the-longitudinal fold of the bottom and rises with this fold whenthe bottom is doubled upon itself to diminish the thickness of the bag.If desired, the distending device may be provided with a spring toassist in this folding action, and such spring Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents,

may be caused to fold the bag'automatically when-"the same is empty.

I claim a 1. A'hand-bag having flat sides and centrally creased ends andbottom, combined with a skeleton'wire frame having sides connected withthe side edges of said bottom,

and a hinged pintle rod at the crease of said bottom, whereby to permitfolding of the bag and to distend the bottom thereof when the same isexpanded.

2. A hand-bag having a folding bottom and ends whereby the sides may bebrought together, and afolding wire skeleton stiffener contained withinthe bottom of the bag,

for spreading the bottom out flat when opened, said stiffener beingprovided with a pintle and a finger on one of the members overlying theother member to form a. stop to prevent depression of its centralportion below the plane which it occupies when opened.

3. The combination with a hand-bag having a folding bottom and ends,of astiffener frame having the outlineof the said bottom when such bottom isspread out, said frame being of wire skeleton construction andconsisting of a pintle and two frame members having eyes pivotallymounted upon said pintle, one of said, members having its end wrappedabout the pintle and carried over the adjacent part of the other memberin position to form a stop when'the members are in the same plane;

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGEVV. PAULI.

\Vitnesses:

ARTHUR H. BROWN, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Washington, D. G.

